Wings
by Venric66
Summary: Series of drabbles/short stories/one-shots with Levi/f!OC. Not in any specific order. Rating may change.
1. Horizon

**Horizon**

He saw it in her eyes.

The dissatisfaction with living inside of a cage. The craving for something more, something greater. The desire to spread her wings and fly.

She reminded him of _her_. Everything about her from her burning auburn hair to her carefree spirit was a reminder of the friends he had failed to protect.

Throwing her head back on her horse, her arms abandoned their hold on the safety of the reins and spread out to feel the wind and the sunlight kiss her craving skin.

"Ah!" She squealed with glee. "The open air feels so good! I feel like I can fly!" A wide grin spread across her features.

Levi shook his head at her carelessness.

 _Shitty brat._

"Hey! Do you want to fall off your horse?" He glared at her with sharp gunmetal irises. "I won't stop to help you back up."

"B-but Captain!" she whined. "The fresh air feels so nice! It's so freeing to be outside the walls, riding like this!" Her arms flew above her head, mirthful laughter ringing out like chimes in the spring breeze. "Don't you love finally being able to see the sky meet the horizon?"

"Tch. Idiot."

"C-Captain!"

Though, in spite of himself, Levi somehow found his steely gaze move upwards to the vast expanse above them, white clouds dusting the endless blue sky. There were no walls to disrupt his view of the mountains or forests. Rays of sunlight reached through the splashes of white to kiss the earth. In every direction except behind him, he could see where the sky met the horizon.

A glance back at her showed him a blissful grin plastered on the woman's features in utter delight as they rode on outwards away from the walls which protected them, yet held them back at the same time.

The corner of his mouth twitched, and Levi almost smiled before looking back to the brilliant blue sky and vibrant green trees that dotted the mountains at the horizon.

It was beautiful.


	2. Rain

**Rain**

She hated the rain.

The way the skies opened up to pour their tears down on the earth. The way even the sun seemed to take shelter behind the angry grey clouds. Clouds as grey and somber as _his_ eyes.

It was raining on _that_ day.

 _"This will be our little secret."_

 _A flash of light illuminates a long, slender finger pressed to his lips._

 _"Promise me, Ella."_

 _Thunder. Crashing from the heavens like the wrath of a god, rattling the windows and her small bones._

 _"You have to promise me, Ella."_

 _"Stop! Let me go!"_

She hated thunder more.

Giving up on any hope of sleep that night, Ella abandoned the tousled sheets at the foot of her bunk, electing instead to walk off some of her uneasiness.

Flashes of light illuminated her way as the young woman roamed the halls of the soldier's barracks at her own leisurely pace. It should have been silent at this time of night, but the pounding rain and booming thunder disrupted the peace, even through the closed windows.

 _"Shh, Ella."_

 _"Why..!?"_

 _"This will be our little secret."_

A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead, and Ella halted her steps in front of a door. Without realizing it, her feet had carried her to the stairwell leading up to the roof.

Fingers inches from the door handle, she hesitated.

Thunder crashed through the skies, sending a jolt of adrenaline shooting down her spine and through her veins.

Her hand shook.

 _"Brother... You're scaring me."_

 _Slender finger pressed to his lips. A trail of crimson lining his wrist._

 _Thunder rattled the windows._

 _"Be a good girl, Ella."_

 _Silver steel glinting with the brief flash of light._

 _Her face on the ground, wet and sticky._

 _"S-stop it!"_

 _Thunder rattled the windows._

Ella wasn't sure when she had begun running. Her feet carried her up the flights of stairs it took to get her to the roof. Her lungs burned from her labored breathing, not caused by the physical exertion.

She reached for the door handle.

"Where do you think you're going?"

His voice was as calm and cool as ice itself. Like always.

Heart leaping to her throat, she spun around, though she didn't have to see him to know who it was. "C-Captain!"

Levi didn't miss the crack in her voice or the sweat beading on her brow.

"Well?"

She tried to swallow the tightness in her throat. "I-I was just-"

Thunder rattled the windows.

A whimper, and her legs buckled. Ella's back hit the door, her hands flying to her face as she slid to the ground.

Hands tucked casually in his pants pockets, Levi stepped forward, reducing the distance between them with the last few stair steps.

"Hey." He stopped with one foot on the top step, and leaned down to her level, elbow resting on his knee. "Is the thunder so terrible?"

Ella didn't reply, but brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. Another flash through the window, and the skies boomed. She squeezed her eyes shut with another whimper, shrinking into herself.

"Tch. Don't look so pathetic." Levi ran a hand through his silken black locks. "Idiot."

He crouched down in front of her.

Glassy olive green eyes shifted to look up at him just in time for his hand to make contact with the top of her head.

A flinch.

Then, a surprised gasp as he ruffled her auburn hair.

"You really are an idiot." he sighed. "This floor is filthy." Despite his disparaging words, Levi moved to sit beside her against the door.

"Captain?" She gave him a questioning stare.

He didn't look at her, but kept his steely gaze straight ahead. Ella didn't notice until this moment, but he had tired circles under his eyes, likely from lack of sleep. Levi sighed deeply, bringing one knee up to prop his elbow on as his head lulled back to rest against the metal door with a soft thud.

"If the rain keeps you awake," he began, the usual sharp edge to his tone gone, "then it can't be helped."

He moved his gaze up to look out the window, his expression somber.

"What do you mean?" She stared at him, and he was silent for several moments. "Captain?"

"I hate it, too."

He would never admit it, but Ella could have sworn she saw a flicker of sadness cross his icy gaze.

The thunder didn't bother her any more that night.


	3. Envy, Part 1

**Envy, Part 1**

Levi needed to punch something. Or someone. Either would do, really.

His anger wasn't immediate. It had started with mere frustration - a twitch of his finger, a sharpening to his already cold glare - but had steadily built up and was now simmering just below his surface. He was barely able to keep his cool, collected exterior, and that only ticked him off even more.

It was because of her. Or, rather...

Ella seemed to spare no second thoughts to her closeness with some of the males of the Scout Regiment. She appeared oblivious to the wide grin on Eren's face as he would wave her over to his table at mealtimes, or the way Armin's cheeks would tint just the slightest shade of pink when she ruffled his hair. And then there was Jean.

It was obvious that the young man harbored some affections for Ella. He took every chance he had to touch her - an arm slung casually around her shoulders, fingertips on her elbow when they spoke - and she didn't bat an eye. She just smiled and played along, upholding her bubbly personality, as always. It was infuriating.

Make no mistake - Levi held no claims upon the girl, nor did he pretend to. But the thought of Jean's filthy hands on her made his blood boil.

The very fact that the idea of the brat remaining oblivious to the boy's attention bothered him only succeeded in making him even more angry. He had been visibly more irate than usual; barking orders at cadets, sending sharp glares to anyone who looked his way, and snapping at those closest to him.

Levi realized that he was unjustly taking out his irritation on those who didn't deserve it, but, then, he was never very good at controlling his anger.

Now, watching Ella eating with the newest soldiers, Jean shamelessly seeking out any innocent physical contact he could get as they spoke and laughed, Levi felt his veins flare up with fire.

Jean caught his stare and smirked, leaning in close to whisper something in Ella's ear. What ever he said made her blush profusely, cheeks burning red at either his words or his proximity, or perhaps both.

Levi's stomach churned, his fists clenching beneath the table.

* * *

"Captain Levi is staring at you."

Cheeks reddening at Jean's teasing whisper of a remark, Ella turned to face the young man, blush deepening when she realized how close he had brought his face to hers.

"H-hey! Don't say such silly things, Jean!"

Supporting himself with his elbow on the table, Jean swiveled on the wooden bench to face her, chin resting on his open palm. "Why so worked up, Ella?" He leaned in closer. "Are you embarrassed?"

"N-no way!" She pushed her arms out in front of her, forcing a bit more distance between them. Her ears prickled red.

Jean grabbed her outstretched hand with one of his own, letting out a loud chuckle. "Say, you're cute when you blush, Ella."

"J-Jean-!"

A loud clatter followed by the screeching of chair legs scraping against the wooden floor echoed through the mess hall, interrupting their banter. The room quieted.

Ella looked towards the source of the outburst, olive green eyes wide and startled.

Levi stood, demeanor darkened and eyes cast downwards, hands splayed across the wooden table. His cup of tea lay broken and abandoned on its side, contents spilling and seeping out onto the floor.

Recovering quickly from his shock, Erwin put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Levi..."

The raven-haired man yanked his arm away, glaring at the Commander with sharp gunmetal irises.

"Tch."

Horrified, Ella watched him stride quickly out of the room, slamming the wooden door behind him.

She paled.

"I wonder what his problem is..." Eren muttered, scratching the back of his head.

Jean smirked, watching the spectacle nonchalantly. "Something's got the Captain's panties all in a twist."

Coming back to her senses, Ella yanked her hand from the young man's grip, cheeks flushing once more. "J-Jean!"

"Levi's been on edge all night watching Jean flirt with you, Ella."

She turned around to face her dirty-blonde friend. "Aubrey, w-what...?"

The girl smirked at her, folding her arms across her chest. "He couldn't stand the sight of Blondie's hands all over you." An evil giggle left Aubrey's lips.

Ella's blush deepened, and she turned to pound her fist on Jean's chest. "Jean!"

"H-hey!" His cheeks tinted light pink, and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "Sorry, Ella. I just couldn't help it." He chuckled nervously.

Ella sighed in resignation, slumping over the table, "As if the Captain didn't hate me enough already..."

"There, there, Ella..." Eren patted her on the back tentatively.

"Yeah," Armin joined in. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Ella!"

Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of the build up of tears. "How do you know?"

"W-well, that is..." Eren smiled nervously. "I think that's just how he is with everyone."

The auburn-haired woman groaned, letting her forehead fall down to make contact with the wooden table with a thunk and the slight clatter of the dishes jumping with the sudden movement.

"E-Ella! Your head!" Jean panicked, reaching out to put an arm around her back.

"Hey, Ella." A feminine voice resounded from near her face, breaking her out of her wallowing.

Hange stood across from her at the table, leaning down on her elbows so that she was eye-level with the young woman.

"Hange?" She looked up at the friendly face of her previous squad leader.

Hange grinned sweetly at her. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I think Levi's just feeling a little jealous."

Ella's eyes widened. "Jealous?"

"Well, duh." Aubrey stated from behind her. "That much was obvious." She leaned back against the wall, smirking coyly.

Ella stared dumbly between the two.

"He would never admit it, but I think Levi really likes spending time with you, Ella." Hange stated cheerfully, holding up a finger. "Plus, he likes being the one with your attention."

"D-don't be silly." Her cheeks flushed red once again. "The Captain treats me like a nuisance. He acts like he doesn't even want me around..." She stared down at her lap.

Hange giggled. "He's just bad at expressing his feelings."

" _Really_ bad." Aubrey scoffed.

Ella frowned, rubbing the back of her head. "Still..."

She couldn't seem to get his icy glower out of her mind.


	4. Envy, Part 2

**Envy, Part 2**

After finishing their dinner, the group left the mess hall, saying their goodnights and splitting off to head to their respective barracks. Jean waited for the halls to clear, as Ella was the last girl of their group to leave. She sent one last wave to the boys as they departed for their dorms, and he took his chance.

"Wait, Ella." He grabbed her hand as she turned to go, halting her.

The young woman blinked in surprise, looking over her shoulder at him with bright green irises. "Jean?"

A twinge of red dusted his cheeks, and he held onto her hand. "Ella, I-I was just..." Jean shifted on his feet uncomfortably. She turned to face him fully.

"What is it, Jean?" Her head cocked to the side in curiosity.

"Uh, I just..." He scratched his head nervously. "Are you going to see Levi?"

Ella furrowed her brows. "Ah, well... He is my squad leader. I'll have to face him eventually, I suppose." She laughed apprehensively. "Although, I hope I don't catch him in a bad mood again. He's scary." A pout.

Jean looked down to the floor. "I see..."

"Hey, why do you ask?" her inquiring tone brought his gaze back up to meet hers.

"T-there's no reason for it." he mumbled, cheeks flushing once more.

Ella quirked a brow. "Hey," she began, the slightest hint of pink reaching her face. "Don't ask such silly things."

Jean's blush darkened. "S-shut up! It's not silly."

"Yes it is!" she countered, averting her gaze. "Idiot."

Though it was just a mumble, Jean caught the affection in her voice, encouraging him. "Let me walk you to your barracks."

The red-haired woman blinked at him. "Huh? It's not that far. I think I can manage, even though it's dark..." she paused, noticing the expression written on his features. "Jean?"

For a moment, he said nothing. He tightened his grip around her hand. "You just don't get it, do you?"

Eyes cast downward. A twitch of his lips.

In a moment, Jean pushed her back, pinning her against the wall with one hand on either side of her head.

A surprised gasp. Olive green orbs widened in shock. "W-what are you...?"

"Dammit, Ella!"

The words died in her throat.

"What am I to you!?"

She swallowed. "What do you mean?"

Jean grunted in frustration. "You know damn well what I mean!" He leaned in closer, lips dangerously close to her own. "You can't really be _that_ oblivious." His voice was softer now.

* * *

 _Stupid, shitty brat._

The way she let him get so close without a care in the world infuriated him, but the fact that that piece of shit had the audacity to flirt so shamelessly with her - and even look at him while he did it - set his blood boiling.

He cursed himself for causing such a spectacle, but he couldn't stand the sight of them any longer. It was sickening. Oh, if he had the chance, he would... What? Kill him?

He wanted to. Why was he letting himself get so worked up over something so trivial? Ella was a soldier and a member of his squad. Nothing more.

But still...

A knock at his office door pulled Levi from his reverie. He growled in irritation.

"What do you want?" he barked.

The door cracked open, and Commander Erwin stepped into the room. "Levi." he greeted curtly. "Are you working?"

The Captain scoffed. "I'm trying to. It's hard to concentrate when I'm being interrupted."

"You've been on edge lately." Erwin's tone was cool and curt, as usual.

Levi's steel eyes narrowed. "Did you come all the way here to pester me, Erwin?"

The blonde man didn't flinch at his comrade's harsh tone. "Your outburst turned quite a few heads."

The raven-haired man growled. "You think I don't know that?"

Erwin remained calm, keeping his carefully constructed emotionless mask in place. "Levi. As your superior officer, I would advise resolving this for the sake of your performance as a soldier and a leader."

He paused, watching Levi's glare darken. "And as your friend, I suggest resolving this for the sake of your sanity."

The man averted his icy glower, remaining silent for several moments. "Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Tch."

Levi stared down at his hands as Erwin left the room, the latch on the door clicking softly behind him.

Finally, he let out a deep sigh.

 _Shitty brat._

* * *

"J-Jean..." Ella gulped. "Why are you acting like this?" The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Staring into his golden eyes, she saw a mixture of emotions, most of which she couldn't place. "S-stop acting so silly. This... This isn't like you."

Jean sighed, locking eyes with her. "Can't you see it, Ella?"

Her lip quivered, and he brought his mouth closer.

"S-stop it, Jean..." She turned her head away to the side, a deep blush rising to her cheeks. She wanted to run. She wanted to push him away and run to her dorm. But she didn't. She couldn't. She was stuck, frozen in place.

His lips ghosted over the pale skin of her neck. "Ella, I..."

"She told you to stop."

Ella's breath caught in her throat at the familiar cool voice, and Jean jumped away from her.

"L-Levi...!" He gasped, eyes widening. Ella didn't dare move.

In a flash, the dark-haired man was in front of him, fist making contact with his face with a loud crack.

"J-Jean!"

Jean flew backwards, hitting the floor. With a grunt, he tenderly rubbed his jaw. "What the hell!?"

Any argument the blonde man was planning out in his head faltered and died, quelled by the dark glower of Levi's demeanor, daring him to speak.

He didn't.

Jaw aching, but not as painful as his wounded pride, Jean averted his golden eyes to the floor, spitting out a mouthful of the blood that coated his lips.

"Fine," he smirked, though it registered as more of a grimace than anything. "You win this round, Captain." He shakily got to his feet, wiping the blood from his split lip on the back of his hand.

Levi said nothing.

He didn't have to.

"See you later, Ella." Jean left without a glance in her direction.

Once he was gone, Levi sighed, running a hand through his silky charcoal locks.

"Captain..." Without realizing, Ella had slumped down against the wall.

Levi turned his head in her direction now, and strode over to her. He bent down to her level on the floor, hands on his knees to support him. "Are you okay?"

Ella blinked at him in utter shock.

He held out a hand, steel gaze meeting her eyes, soaking in her expression.

 _Was that... concern?_

A wide smile found its way to the auburn-haired girl's face, soft laughter bubbling out from her lips. She took his outstretched hand, and he pulled her to her feet, his brow furrowing.

"What are you so happy about, woman?"

Laughter subsiding, she grinned brightly at him. "Nothing."

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"Idiot."


	5. Pride, Part 1

**Pride, Part 1**

The last time Ella saw her older brother, he had slammed her head onto the stone floors of their home.

 _White-hot, blinding pain shot through her skull. Her vision prickled with black spots exploding in front of her eyes as she fought for consciousness._

 _It took her a moment for coherence to settle back in._

 _The stone floor should have been cold._

 _Warmth seeped out around her face, wet and sticky._

 _"Close your eyes, Ella."_

Lip bleeding and cheeks flushed, Ella bent over her knees to catch her breath after a worse-than-usual spat with some of the older boys in town. Rain clouds had been stirring up in the skies all afternoon, and they finally opened up to wash down that evening.

A rough shove, and Ella collided roughly with the hard dirt. The first droplets of rain dripped from the grey sky.

 _Plat. Plat. Plat._

The young girl flinched at the pain on her backside. "Ow!" She clenched her eyes shut, hating the tears that welled up on her lashes.

"What's this? You gonna cry now?"

"Of course she's crying. Stupid _girl_."

"What a wimp. How're you gonna be a soldier if you can't even take a beating?"

Taunting voices surrounded her.

"Must be why her father left. Couldn't stand to be around her any longer."

"And then there's that idiotic brother of hers, going to become Titan fodder."

"Her whole family's dysfunctional. How pathetic."

Ella peered up at them, auburn curls sticking to her face from the rain. Her fists clenched at her sides as she shook with rage.

"Shut up." she spat.

One of the older boys growled and reached forward to grab a fistful of her hair, yanking her forward roughly. "What was that, you little brat?"

Her small hands latched onto his wrist, olive green irises meeting his with a fierce, challenging glare.

"I said, shut up!"

Eyes narrowing, he tightened his grip on her now dripping wet hair. A droplet of rain trickled down his nose, dripping off the tip onto the dank ground. "Why you-!"

Thunder rumbled the still darkening skies, the rain quickly picking up speed from its light drizzle only moments earlier.

"You call me a wimp for taking a beating, but it's really _you_ who are the cowards!"

Water dropped from the ends of her hair to her cheeks, collecting in beads to leave wet trails down her face.

"My father pledged his life to protecting all of humanity! That includes even scum like you!"

She bit her lip, tears spilling out of her eyes to mesh with the water already streaming down her cheeks. " _They_ are the brave ones! The soldiers give life and limb to protect people like you who don't even deserve it!"

Another bout of thunder rolled through the clouds.

The two other boys that had ganged up on Ella tried to hide their sniggering, and the one holding her by the hair flushed with embarrassment.

"You brat! I'm gonna-"

A swift kick upwards from the young girl cut his threat short, her foot colliding with his groin. The boy cried out, immediately releasing his tight grip on Ella's hair. His friends doubled over with laughter as he groaned with pain, falling to his knees and clutching his injured manhood.

"You little shit! Get back here!"

Ella took this as her chance to run.

"You'll pay for this!"

She didn't look back.


	6. Pride, Part 2

**Pride, Part 2**

The rain picked up on Ella's run home, pouring down in heavy sheets, and the rolling thunder was accompanied now by flashes of lightning, bright and stark against the cloudy night sky.

Ella was thoroughly drenched now, clothes soaked and sticking to her small body. Huffing from the exertion of running on her lungs, she chanced a glance behind her and slipped to her knees on the wet ground. Though quite a distance away, the three boys were hot on the pursuit, swearing after her profusely. Adrenaline surged through her like a shock of the electricity pulsing in the sky, and she scrambled to her feet, fueled by her fear.

 _"Ella."_

Her eyes squeezed shut, forcing out a new wave of tears as she ran. The boys were catching up. They were faster than her. They were bigger than her. They were stronger than her.

 _"Ella, did you get yourself into another fight?"_

 _Her mother frowned at the girl's bloody lip, which she wiped on the back of her tiny knuckle._

 _"It wasn't my fault." she mumbled stubbornly. "They said that Papa wasn't coming back. And that Brother is just going to be eaten by the giant monsters!"_

 _Slender fingers pinched her daughter's cheek. "Ella, that doesn't mean it's okay to start fights or hit them."_

 _The girl batted her mother's hand away, averting her gaze to the side. "But they're wrong!" The tears that had been threatening her spilled over now, leaving trails down her flushed cheeks. "Big Brother can't join the Scout Regiment because Papa's coming back!"_

 _"Ella!"_

 _"He will! He promised. He... he-!"_

 _A large hand swatted the back of her head._

 _"Oi. Are those bastards harassing you again?"_

 _"Ow!" Ella spun on her heel, reaching up to hold her injury, even though he hadn't hit her too hard. "Big Brother!" she wailed._

 _"If they're bothering you, I'll kill them." he stated simply, leaning down to his little sister's level, his expression deadpan._

 _"Leo!" their mother scolded._

 _"Are you really going to join the Scout Regiment?" Ella looked down at the floor, her voice small._

 _"Ah, that's right." he confirmed._

 _She clenched her tiny fists, biting her already swollen lip._

 _A sigh. "Relax, brat." Leo crouched down in front of her, ruffling her hair with long, slender fingers._

 _"You don't have to worry about me." His tone softened. "And you don't have to worry about those bastards picking on you. I'll protect you."_

 _She looked up at him with wide, glassy eyes. "Really?"_

 _"Mm," he hummed his reassurance. "I promise. So stay out of trouble, okay? Brat."_

A sudden boom of thunder startled the girl from her memory.

 _Ah._

 _That's right._

 _He promised to protect me._

The rain poured down relentlessly. Flashes of lightning briefly lit her way in the dark, followed almost instantly by a furious rumble of thunder.

 _So why...?_

Ella rounded a corner, cursing when she ran into a wall. She turned to go another direction, but the tall buildings on either side of her blocked her path. The only way out was behind. She was cornered.

 _Why?_

The three older boys had caught up to her, barreling around the corner. The leader of the group smirked upon seeing her backed up against the wall, her tiny form frozen with fear.

"Heh, looks like we've got you now, you little bitch!" he spat.

Ella tried to swallow the dryness in her throat, despite being drenched to the core from the rain. She quivered and took a step backwards, halting when her back hit the wall.

"Nowhere to run now, brat." He grabbed her by her hair, roughly yanking her down to fall on the cold, wet ground. She landed in a puddle, grunting when the dirty rainwater splashed in her face.

 _Brother..._

"What, got nothing to say all of a sudden?" He stepped down on her small fingers, leering at her yelp of pain.

"I-it hurts..." she whimpered.

"Not so tough now, are you?"

 _Help me..._

One of the other boys kicked her in the side, causing her to cry out, curling up into herself.

"Sorry, did that hurt?" he sneered.

 _Help me!_

Another kick to her ribs, and the third boy joined in, now. The young girl weakly covered her head with her hands, arms shielding her face.

 _Brother!_

Ella didn't hear the whirring of the cable wires, or the slow but sure footsteps splashing in the puddling rainwater.

A large hand came down on one of the boys' shoulders, harshly ripping him away from the girl. The other two paused in their beating, scowling at the intruder.

"You make me sick."

Hearing the familiar voice, Ella peeked out from behind her arms, gasping when she caught sight of her green-cloaked hero. "B-Brother!" she choked out, tears leaking from her eyes once more.

He paid her no mind, his green, steely glare set on the three boys.

"Scum like you doesn't even deserve to live."

The leader spat at his feet. "What the hell are you gonna do about it, Titan fodder?"

Leo smirked, eyes glinting in the flashing light from the sky. A bout of thunder followed suit, paired with another flash. He brought his hands to his hips, and there was a metal click before the sharp gliding of his blades were drawn from the holsters on his belt.

 _What?_

"I wouldn't underestimate the strength of the Scouting Regiment, if I were you."

Droplets of water fell from his dark hair onto his cheeks, his bangs casting a menacing shadow over his eyes.

"W-what..!?"

Another flash.

Ella's eyes widened, her whole body tingling numbly. She turned to stone, able only to watch the scene before her. Her voice died in her chest.

"It will be the last mistake you ever make."

 _Brother...?_

She couldn't even flinch when the blood splattered on her cheek.


	7. Pride, Part 3

**Pride, Part 3**

Three bodies lay on the wet ground, crimson rivers flowing into the puddles of water already collecting in the cracks between the stone bricks.

Flicking his wrists, Leo shook the blood off of his blades before sliding them back into their metal holsters at his sides. He stood for a moment, surveying the carnage he had wrought before a quiet whimper caught his attention.

"B-Brother...?"

The young man turned around, eyeing his little sister calmly. "You can't tell anyone what just happened here, Ella." He stepped toward her slowly, pressing a long, slender finger to his lips. "It will be our little secret."

The girl scrambled away from him, ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs. She held up a hand in front of her. "D-don't come near me!"

Leo's eyes widened at her fearful expression. "Ella, I was protecting you." He took another step towards her, and she crawled farther back. "Didn't you want those boys to stop hurting you?"

Ella stared at him in horror, her heart pounding against her ribcage. A flash of lightning illuminated the pile of limp, lifeless bodies behind him, red liquid shining in the fleeting pale light.

"N-not like this! You... you..." The words faltered, shriveling up in her throat.

"Ella... You have to promise me you won't tell." Another cautious step closer.

"S-stop!"

He gritted his teeth, closing the distance between them with quick, long strides. Crouching in front of her, he grabbed her shoulder roughly. "Promise me, Ella."

His voice, while level, was laced with venom. Thunder shook the skies. Ella's eyes widened.

"Stop!"

His grip tightened on her small shoulder, bruising the tender flesh. "You have to promise me, Ella." he hissed.

"Stop! Let me go!" she cried, shoving him away.

He grunted in surprise, falling back on the ground, and she took his momentary shock as her opportunity to flee. Rushing to her feet, she darted past him, kicking away his hand when he reached for her.

"Wait-!"

"Get away!" she shrieked, rounding the corner away from him.

"Ella!" Leo watched her flee, cursing himself for letting her get away.

His green eyes narrowed.

"Shit."

* * *

Rainwater splashing as her small feet pounded against the ground, Ella tore through the streets as fast as her legs would carry her.

Ears ringing.

The edges of her vision blurring.

Lungs burning.

Her heart drummed against her chest, beating erratically.

Home.

She had to get home.

She had to tell her mother... Warn her.

Between the pouring rain and the frantic pounding of her own heart in her ears, Ella didn't hear the zipping of cable cords above her.

 _Mother..._

Her feet carried her through the dark, wet streets, arm held up to shield her eyes from the rain.

 _Just around this corner..._

Though her lungs were on fire and her muscles screamed in protest, Ella bounded around the last corner, breathing a sigh of relief once her home was within sight. Pace slowing as she got nearer, the girl forced her legs to keep moving. She walked up the steps to the front door and-

Her breath hitched.

Ella's hand shook and froze in place as she reached for the handle that wasn't there. The door was slightly ajar.

 _What...?_

It was too dark to see inside, but a bolt of electricity in the sky gave the girl a glimpse. Chairs knocked over, red splatters on the walls and floor, a puddle of something dark and wet seeping out from-

 _No..._

Knees buckling, the small girl pushed open the door with trembling hands. Thunder boomed in the sky behind her, rattling the flimsy glass windows. At first glance, the room was empty. A few paces in, something cracked under her footsteps. She inhaled sharply, looking under her shoe to see the remains of a glass candle-holder laying in a puddle of something dark and wet. Ella stiffened, taking another step forward.

She stopped when her foot hit something soft.

Two more bursts of light from the thunderstorm flashed through the windows and open door. A figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Ella."

Another flash. Something metallic and silver glinted in the light. The outline of a female form lay on the ground.

The girl bit back a scream, stumbling backwards and tripping over her feet, falling onto the hard wooden floor. The figure moved forward, stepping over the heap of flesh and into the small and fleeting amount of light coming in from outside.

"B-Brother... What happened here?" Tears spilled from the girl's eyes, her voice quivering.

"I'm sorry, Ella. I never meant for it to turn out this way." He stepped closer.

"We... we h-have to get help..." she stammered, unable to control her fearful tears and the way her tiny body shook with horror. "M-Mother is... She's...!"

"She's dead." Leo stated, his voice eerily calm. "I killed her."

Ella's shaky hands clamped over her mouth. "B-but... Brother, why?" she choked back a sob. "Why...?"

He stepped towards her and leaned down, that same glint in his eyes once more.

"Shh, Ella."

She shook her head in disbelief, eyes wide and brimming with tears. "Why...!?"

"Hush. This will be our little secret." He spoke calmly still.

"Tell me why!" she cried. "Why-!?"

"Because I promised to protect you, Ella."

Thunder cracked through the pouring rain outside, so loud it seemed it would have shattered the sky itself. The windows rattled.

"You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone."

A jolt of lightning illuminated a slender finger pressed to his lips once more. A trail of crimson trickled from his hand, lining his wrist.

"Understand? It's a secret." He paced closer to her, closing their last slivers of distance.

"Brother... You're scaring me."

He took a fistful of her hair. "Be a good girl, Ella."

"S-stop it!" Her tiny hands desperately clawed at his wrist to unlatch her auburn locks from his grip. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

White-hot, blinding pain shot through her skull. Her vision prickled with black spots exploding in front of her eyes as she fought for consciousness.

It took a moment for coherence to settle back in.

The stone floor should have been cold.

Warmth seeped out around her face, wet and sticky.

"Close your eyes, Ella."

 _No... Not yet. I have to... to..._

She reached out blindly in front of her from the floor, not flinching when Leo's larger hand encompassed her own. With gentle fingers, he swept back a strand of hair from her eye, the auburn curl still dripping wet and sticking to her cheek. Her skin was cold and damp.

"Sleep."

The simple command was murmured in her ear as he leaned down to tenderly press his cold lips onto her forehead.

It felt as though a warm blanket had been wrapped around her shoulders. Vision clouding over, her eyelids eventually drooped shut.

 _Brother..._


	8. No Regrets

**No Regrets**

 _Thunder rolled through the dreary sky, rippling like waves within the grey storm clouds as they seeped cold liquid down to the ground. Rain poured relentlessly, as if the gods had opened up the floodgates of Heaven._

 _Levi surveyed the damage on the battlefield, dread clenching his gut as his normally impassive steel eyes soaked in the carnage. Filled with a sudden panic that throbbed just below the surface of his stoic exterior, his body propelled itself into movement with a renewed sense of purpose._

 _He had to get back to the formation. Was it a mistake to leave the others behind to go forward alone? Surely..._

No.

 _The warmth in Levi's body drained as he saw the remains of his entire squad, completely annihilated. The ground was stained red with the blood of his fallen comrades - if he could even call most of them that - running like scarlet rivers with the rainwater. His stomach churned at the sight of the severed head of red hair, green eyes lifelessly staring straight ahead._

 _Not too far away, there was the culprit - a giant beast hunched over the carnage, still feasting away, gnawing on their decimated corpses. The Titan turned, and as its sinister crimson eyes caught sight of the dark-haired man, he felt his blood boil with pure rage, filling him to the brim and then spilling over._

 _He barreled forward with malice in his eyes, every intention of ripping the foul, disgusting creature to shreds with even his bare hands if he had to, but no matter how hard his boots pounded on the wet ground or how far forward he propelled himself with his gear, the Titan remained at a distance, leering at him as he chomped in half the body of one of the only people in the world Levi called his friend._

 _In fact, if he wasn't mistaking himself, it was as if by moving forward, he was actually getting farther away from the giant. Levi snarled with rage, the impossibility of reaching his target only fueling his bloodlust more, when something stopped him in his tracks._

 _"Big Bro."_

 _Levi skidded to a halt, whirling around to face the source of the familiar voice. His blood ran cold._

It can't be.

 _Isabel's severed head lay at his feet, staring out into nothingness with those same void, glazed over eyes. For a moment, he considered the possibility that he had imagined it, tricked into a delusional state by his shock. And then her eyes snapped up to look at him, locking on his gunmetal irises._

 _"Why, Big Bro?"_

 _A ragged breath of horror left his lips. "Isabel..."_

 _"Why did you leave us?"_

 _"You knew we weren't strong enough without you."_

 _Levi spun on his heel in the direction of the new voice, eyes widening at the sight of the blonde man clawing himself forward by his one remaining arm, the bloody stumps of his legs dragging behind him. "Farlan...!"_

 _"You left us behind, even though you knew we wouldn't make it." Farlan reached out for him, continuing to drag himself forward._

 _A hand on his shoulder had Levi spinning around again._

 _"Captain... I thought you would come for us. Why couldn't you protect us?" Petra stood behind him, eyes cloudy and blood trickling from the corners of her mouth, just as he had last seen her._

 _His eyes widened. "Petra..."_

 _Another voice. "We died because of your choice, Captain." Erd._

 _"Why couldn't you stop her from killing us?" Gunter._

 _"We believed in you, Captain." Auruo._

 _With every word, the battered bodies of his dead comrades closed in on him, their voices soon overlapping and rising in volume. Bloodied hands clawed at him, latching onto any scrap of his clothing they could get ahold of._

 _"Why, Captain?"_

 _"Why did you leave us, Levi?"_

 _"Why couldn't you save us, Captain?"_

 _"Captain..."_

 _"Levi..."_

 _"Big Bro..."_

 _"Levi!"_

 _"Captain!"_

 _"Big Bro!"_

 _"Captain!"_

 _"Captain!"_

"Captain!"

Levi's eyes snapped open, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. He bolted upright from his desk, grunting and rubbing the aching in his temple groggily. He narrowed his gaze as the image of the green-eyed, auburn-haired woman standing beside his desk came into focus.

"What the hell do you want, Snow?" he growled, vaguely registering her hand on his shoulder and shrugged her off. She withdrew her hand quickly, stepping back a couple of paces.

"E-er, that is..." she stuttered nervously, noting the dark bags that had settled beneath his eyes.

"Spit it out."

"R-right! I-I was just here to deliver a message from Commander Smith, s-sir." She averted her gaze to the floor, fiddling with her hands anxiously. "You fells asleep at your desk, and it looked like you were having a bad dream, so..." She trailed off, her voice small. A light dusting of pink tinted her cheeks.

"So you decided to break my eardrums?" His tone was cold and curt - more so than usual.

"I-I'm sorry, Captain!" She shifted on her feet, cheeks flushing darker.

He sighed. "So?"

Ella brought her gaze back up to him, blinking in surprise. "So...?"

Levi's eyebrow twitched in irritation, his thin string of patience dissipating by the second. "So, what's this message? Didn't you say Erwin sent you here for me?"

"Ah, r-right!" she stammered, blushing profusely. "He needs you to come to a meeting right away."

The man glowered at her with steel eyes. "Shouldn't you have said that in the first place? Idiot."

Ella smiled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "S-sorry, Captain. You're right."

The dark-haired man's scowl softened ever so slightly at her words, watching her sheepish grin.

"Tch. Tell Erwin I'm on my way."

"Y-yes sir!" She spun around immediately, hurrying to the door.

"Ella."

She froze, her hand hovering over the door handle. "Y-yes?"

Levi gazed at her curious expression for a moment, vivid, olive green eyes blinking at him. He was reminded briefly of his fallen comrades and the friends he had failed, her auburn curls and bright green eyes tugging at the memories of _her._

 _"Big Bro..."_

He closed his eyes and swallowed, the back of his neck prickling. Then he looked at her, this time with a softer, wearier expression.

"It's nothing."

She stared at him, searching for some facial clue to tell her what he was thinking. For a moment, he thought she could see everything - every detail about him - but she just smiled brightly at him, just as she always did. The girl nodded and left the room, closing his door silently behind her.

Levi let out a long, tired sigh as the door clicked shut softly, his hand at his temples once more.

 _That's right._

 _It was... a dream._

* * *

After Erwin's meeting regarding the Scout Regiment's next move, the blonde man informed Levi that they would hold a mass funeral for all of the lost soldiers from their latest mission and burn the bodies they were able to retrieve and bring back.

Levi merely clicked his tongue in response. "And? What about it?"

His glower was darker than usual, still feeling weary after the horrors of his nightmare, leaving him on-edge and irritable.

Erwin didn't flinch, used to Levi's harsh tones. "We'll be holding the ceremony in honor of the brave men and women who gave their lives in the expedition, whether we were able to recover their bodies or not." His gaze flickered to Levi. "That includes your squad."

The shorter, pale man stared at his hands. "I see."

"I thought you should know." They sat in silence for a minute, before the Commander stood, straightening his collar. He took a long look at his ebony-haired friend, sitting at the long wooden table with his elbows up, fingers delicately grasping his tea cup. Erwin said nothing, but put his hand on Levi's shoulder, gripping it tightly for a moment before breaking away and leaving the room. He knew what was going on in Levi's mind without asking or needing him to explain it.

It was the same thing he had been through many, many times before.

* * *

That evening, Levi watched with a steeled gaze and clenched fists as the soldiers of the Scout Regiment were honored one last time in their deaths. Hundreds of men and women were lost in just one short day, but only a fraction of their bodies remained to be brought home and burned. His eyes bore into the yellow flames licking up the burning bags, crackling and hissing as ashes flew from the fires, dancing up and away into the night sky with the gentle breeze.

Levi stood rigid, entranced by the flickering flames and his own thoughts. He stayed there late into the night, even after most of the others had called it and retired to their beds, eyes weary. Even Erwin eventually bid the raven-haired man his goodnight as the last few stragglers started to return inside.

"I'm glad you decided to come," the Commander said, inclining his head at the smaller man.

"Hn." Levi merely hummed his reply, steel gaze still fixed on the orange flames and the embers beneath them.

Erwin didn't miss the solemn, jaded look in his friend's grey eyes or the dark circles that encompassed them. He placed his hand on his shoulder, giving it a pat once again. "You should think about getting some rest, Levi."

When The man's only response was silence, the Commander gave his shoulder one last squeeze and said goodnight.

Levi didn't move.

Aside from those two, Ella was one of the last soldiers in the yard. She stood up from the ground and dusted herself off, only realizing after a moment that Erwin was heading inside. She glanced at Levi, who still didn't give any indication of moving from his place beside the fire.

She approached him slowly, reaching out a tentative hand to gently touch his arm. "Captain?"

Silence.

"Um... Everyone is going in now..." She grasped his dark green cloak between her thumb and forefinger, searching his face for some kind of response.

His gunmetal orbs shifted to gaze dully at her from the corner of his eyes. "So?"

Ella sent him a small smile, concern written in her features. "Er, t-that is... Shouldn't you get some rest, Captain?"

He let out a slight huff that sounded something like a scoff. "I couldn't even if I tried."

The young woman swallowed the dryness in her throat, her fingers releasing the thick fabric of his cloak and let her hand drift back to her side. "I see..."

Several moments of silence passed between them, both watching the crackling flames devour the bodies of their comrades, their feet firmly planted on the ground beside one another.

Levi's lip twitched into an almost snarl, his irritation finally bubbling to the surface. "Tch. What a waste."

Ella's head whipped around to look at him with wide eyes, startled from her reverie. "Captain?"

The raven-haired man's eyes narrowed at the flames, fists clenched at his sides.

"All those lives... wasted."

She creased her brow, frowning at him. "Captain..."

He hated the pity in her voice. It reminded him of his failures and left him feeling weak and vulnerable. He hated that she held that power over him, without even knowing it.

"Why are you here, Ella?" he asked suddenly, his head snapping in her direction.

"Huh?" The auburn-haired woman blinked at him, not quite understanding his question. "W-well, to take a stand for humanity," she answered slowly.

Levi rolled his eyes, growling. "No. I mean why are you _here_?"

Ella watched him for a moment, studying his features with that same sad, almost pitiful smile.

"That's because..." she began, looking down. "You stayed with me, once, when I couldn't stand the demons in my own head."

His eyes widened, and a long stretch of quiet passed before she spoke again.

She looked at him. "You've been overworking yourself lately, haven't you? That's why you fell asleep at your desk last night, isn't it?"

Her eyes left his then, returning back to look at the flames licking the air, smoke billowing upwards with the gentle night breeze. "We lost so many..." Her tone was somber. "To think, each and every one of these men and women were just like us. They had lives outside of killing Titans. Families. Thoughts and feelings. People they loved."

Levi stared at her for a minute, gaping. Then he returned his gaze to his burning comrades, feeling a clenching in his gut. He remembered the cheerful expression on Petra's father's face when he approached him, Levi being too horrified to say even a single word to the poor old man.

 _That's right..._

They were not just a pile of limp, lifeless bodies. There were people who were devastated by their deaths and would be reminded of their absence every day. Levi's own fallen comrades came to mind.

 _Petra. Erd. Auruo. Gunter._

 _Isabel._

 _Farlan._

They died because of the choices _he_ had made. Because they had put their faith in him.

Levi swallowed hard at the lump that rose to his throat. His eyes stung with the effort it took to push back his own tears.

Tentatively, Ella slipped her hand into the man's open palm hanging at his side, lacing her fingers in the spaces between his.

Levi flinched slightly in surprise at the gentle contact, but did not pull away. She squeezed his limp hand, the gesture conveying something that words could not have expressed in that moment.

He bit his lip.

A stray tear trickled down his cheek. He closed his long fingers around her hand, gripping on tightly.

Neither of them spoke.

They stayed like that long into the night, comforted in their mourning by the simplicity of each other's presence and the small contact he allowed them to share.

Perhaps, just this once, he didn't mind being vulnerable.


	9. Reconcile

**Reconcile**

Jean lay on his bed, one arm slung lazily over his eyes, lamenting his stupidity several nights earlier. He cursed himself for letting his jealousy get in the way of his friendship with Ella. Although his lip had healed fully, his jaw still ached just the tiniest bit if he wasn't careful when he spoke or ate. Captain Levi really packed a punch.

He admitted it-Jean had acted like a jackass.

If he really had feelings for Ella, then he sure had a shitty way of showing her. He never meant to be so forceful that he frightened her, and now he was regretting it tremendously. He sighed heavily.

 _Shit._

A loud voice interrupted him from his repining. "Oi, Jean!" Connie leaned over and peered at him, his hands on his hips. "Are you gonna mope around all day? Sasha will eat your breakfast if you don't hurry and get up."

"What!?" Jean bolted upright, slamming his head against Connie's in the process. "Ow, shit!"

They both groaned, hands flying to their bruised foreheads.

"That hurt, you idiot!" Connie whined, walking out of the room as he held his throbbing hand.

Jean hurriedly threw his uniform on, swearing at all of the troublesome leather straps and buckles he had to do up. Once he was done stumbling around, he barreled around the corner out of his dormitory, only to crash into none other than the auburn-haired girl who had so occupied his thoughts lately herself. He stumbled backwards, partly from the impact and partly from embarrassment.

Thankfully, the collision hadn't been too hard, and they both remained unhurt. Ella blinked at him in surprise, nearly tripping back over her heels.

"J-Jean! Are you okay?" She rushed over to where he sat and held out a hand to help him up.

The dirty-blonde's face flushed beet red. "Ella! I-I'm fine..." Hesitantly, he took her hand and let her pull him to his feet, dusting himself off.

She smiled brightly at him, a soft giggle escaping her lips. "You sure are in a hurry, aren't you?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling sheepish. "S-sorry about that."

Ella waved her hand dismissively, light smile still on her face. "So, are you hungry? It's time for breakfast." She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the mess hall.

Jean blinked at her cheerful expression, surprised by the friendly invitation.

"Sasha might take our shares if we don't hurry."

"Y-yeah..." He averted his gaze, blushing again.

"Then let's go." She turned to leave, waiting for him to follow expectantly.

Jean inhaled deeply, building up the courage to say what he needed to say to her. "Ella, wait."

"What is it?" The girl met his golden eyes with an inquiring look.

He blushed, rubbing his neck again. "U-um, about the other day..."

"What about it?" She tilted her head curiously.

"I-I just... wanted to apologize... for what I did. I was acting like a real jackass. S-so, I understand if you totally hate me now..." he trailed off, wincing slightly in preparation for her to yell at him.

She didn't.

Instead, she took his free hand at his side into her own, smiling at him softly. "I could never hate you, Jean."

The young man gaped at her, his blush darkening. "T-then... Aren't you angry with me?"

"Nope!" Her grin widened, a slight shake of her head. "Hey, let's get some breakfast, yeah? I'm starving!"

Jean looked down at her small hand wrapped around his own. A small smile made it's way to his lips.

"Yeah..." he murmured after a moment. "Let's go."


	10. Wrath, Part 1

**Wrath, Part 1**

A bead of sweat trickled down Ella's brow. She stood, wiping off her damp forehead on the back of her hand with a short huff as she surveyed her work. The petite woman had just finished scrubbing the floors of one of the castle rooms at the Headquarters for the umpteenth time that day. Her brow twitched in irritation at the thought of her dark-haired Captain giving her chore after chore, scowling and ordering her to redo them when even her hardest work didn't meet his high standards of cleanliness.

Levi appeared in the doorway, pulling down the white cloth tied around the lower half of his face with a deft, slender finger. "Oi, Snow. Are you done yet, brat?"

Ella's lip jerked slightly with the effort it took to restrain herself from strangling the man. "That's right. Finally all finished." She forced herself to smile sweetly at the Captain, gesturing proudly at the sparkling clean floors.

He walked in, examining her work. His tongue clicked. "That will have to do for now, I suppose."

"Really?" She clapped her hands together in excitement, the slightest flicker of hope in her olive green eyes. "So, then, can I go to lunch now?"

"Have you finished scrubbing the rest of the rooms on this floor?" he inquired, grey eyes boring into her.

Her expression fell. "Eh!? The whole floor!?" she screeched, outraged.

Levi held out a mop and bucket for her, his face deadpan.

"No way!" Ella cried, anger bubbling to the surface.

His brow quirked delicately. "Would you rather clean the stables?"

"You can't be serious!"

At her shriek, Levi growled and stalked over to her, grabbing a fistful of her auburn ponytail at the back of her head to keep her still as he brought his face so close to hers that their noses nearly touched. He looked her dead in the eyes, stoic expression unwavering.

All Ella could do was stare at him in shock, her mouth agape.

"Dead serious."

Almost immediately, Ella's cheeks flushed a deep red. She tried to back away, but his hand kept her in place. The ebony-haired Captain peered at her heated cheeks, his brow raising.

"Are you blushing, Ella?" His gunmetal irises met hers impassively, causing her cheeks to redden even more.

"W-what...?" she stammered.

He reached up his free hand and flicked her forehead, instantly breaking her trance.

"Idiot."

Just like that, he was gone, his fingers releasing themselves from her auburn curls as he turned to walk out of the room without another word.

Ella stood rigid, blinking after him dumbly. After a moment, her eyes slowly drifted down to her hands, which held the mop and bucket. As the realization settled in, she could feel the rage bubbling back up to her surface, intensified tenfold by the fact that she had been so entranced by his confusing actions that she hadn't realized when he had slipped the cleaning supplies into her grasp.

Her body trembled, positively seething.

As Levi strolled off down the halls, the corner of his lips twitched up into a satisfied smirk beneath his cloth mask.

* * *

"That... that... fucking JERK!"

The door to the mess hall slammed open with the feminine shriek, turning several heads in a mixture of surprise and fear at the auburn-haired woman's enraged, deathly glower. For such a petite girl, she was an absolutely terrifying sight to behold if someone had made the mistake of incurring her wrath. Her normally cheery disposition and happy-go-lucky attitude only succeeded in making her rage even more horrific.

Hange, however, was unfazed. "Hey, Ella!" She grinned widely at her friend, standing up and waving her over to the table she was sitting at with Eren, Aubrey, Mikasa, and Armin. No doubt, she had been chatting animatedly about her latest advances on her Titan research with the interested cadets.

Ella stomped over to them and plunked herself down beside the brunette squad leader with an angry huff. She slammed her elbow on the tabletop and held her chin in her hand, startling poor Armin across from her as the dishes rattled.

"W-who's a jerk, E-Ella?" the blonde boy stuttered, afraid of her anger being directed at him.

Hange smirked knowingly. "It was the shorty again, wasn't it?"

"Captain Clean Freak," Ella ground out, "is apparently unsatisfied with my ability to mop a floor."

She relayed the story to them, her anger intensifying with every gory detail. When she was done, she sucked in a breath, clenched her fists, and let it out with a slow hiss. "So I dropped the bucket and ran like hell down here. I'm starving."

Armin's eyes widened. "B-but, Ella... Won't Captain Levi come looking for you?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Eventually, probably."

Aubrey giggled from beside Eren across the table. "That's so cute, Ella!"

She scowled at her dirty-blonde friend. "What do you mean 'cute'? He's a total jerk!"

"The way he grabbed your hair and brought his face so close to yours, your lips just inches away..." Aubrey sighed, a devious twinkle in her silver eyes. "That's what made you blush, isn't it?"

"N-no!" Ella's cheeks tinged with the slightest shade of pink at the implying question. "I-I did not!" she retorted.

"Liar." Hange drawled in a sing-song voice, beaming at her. "I bet you were as red as a cherry!"

"I-I was not!" she stuttered, flushing.

Aubrey smirked at her. "Oh, I see. You just wanted him to kiss you." she purred.

"Like hell I did!" Ella crossed her arms, eyebrow twitching as her anger boiled up again. "Who would want to kiss that sadistic, slave-driving asshole, anyway?" She growled, snatching Eren's bread and ripping off an angry bite out of it.

"All he ever does is order people around," she grumbled. "Clean this! Clean that over there! And when you're done cleaning, don't forget to clean the cleaning supplies!" Ella swung the small loaf of bread around at the table as she spoke, imitating Levi's stoic voice barking at them.

Armin paled. "E-Ella... you - !"

"And don't even get me started on his 'bad-boy' image."

"Ella, Captain Levi is - "

She cut her friend off, ranting on. "That guy thinks he's tough shit, but he's really just - "

"Just what, Ella?" a low, steely voice cut in. The quiet hiss from behind her silenced the woman immediately.

"Hey, Levi! Fancy seeing you here. Can we help you with something?" Hange intercepted cheerily, only to be met with his sharp glare.

Ella gulped, the blood draining from her face completely.

This was it. She was dead.

She had thought she would go down heroically, sacrificing her life to save a comrade at the hands of a Titan. But no, she would be murdered by her superior officer for bitching about him to her friends.

What a way to go.

Slowly, Ella swiveled around to face him, strong arms folded and a dark shadow cast over his glinting steel eyes.

She smiled nervously. "H-hey, Captain! We were just talking about you! Care for some bread?"

"Ella."

The young woman laughed nervously and attempted to swallow the dry lump quickly forming in her throat. In a flash, Levi had grabbed her arm, causing her to drop Eren's bread, yanked her out of her seat, and was dragging her away angrily by the collar of her jacket, Ella kicking and crying for help the whole way.

Aubrey merely waved farewell to her, too fearful of Levi's wrath to try and stop him.

Hange watched the inky-haired man drag her away, slamming the door shut behind him. A soft smile made its way to her lips.

"Why are you smiling?" Mikasa asked her in a dull voice.

The woman's grin widened. "You know, I think the shorty actually really likes Ella."

Eren blanched at the glasses-wearing scientist. "That's how he shows he likes someone!?"

"Not everyone is as good at displaying affection as our Aubrey, here." Hange chuckled.

"That's right!" The girl smiled prettily.

Eren jumped, meeping quietly at the girl's light pinch on his rear underneath the table, a light dusting of pink on his cheeks. "A-Aubrey!"

The girl in question shrugged, smirking. "Sorry, Eren. I couldn't help myself."

As Hange laughed and teased the young cadets, she couldn't help but feel a bit more light-hearted than before.

Surely, Ella would have weeks more of cleaning and stable duty to look forward to, plus a few hundred laps around the field to do.

No one could really say that they envied her as they returned to talking animatedly amongst themselves.

But it would be interesting to see how things unfolded.


	11. Wrath, Part 2

**Wrath, Part 2**

"Let me go, you jerk!" Ella cried, flailing her arms and legs wildly in an attempt to break free from the Captain's tight grip on her jacket collar. It was to no avail, though Levi quickly grew tired of her violent struggling as he dragged her down the hallway.

"Ella!" he snapped, finally throwing her down against the wall. His patience was at an end.

Ella winced at both the harsh tone in his voice and pain that shot through her back as she hit the hard stone. She was about to complain about his rough handling, but the expression on his face silenced her. A whimper left her lips as he loomed over her.

"So," he hissed, crouching down in front of her, silver irises glinting, "you think you can shirk your duties and hide from me, Snow?"

She swallowed the dryness in her throat, staring wide-eyed at him.

"Well?" He quirked a brow, giving her an expectant look.

The auburn-haired woman felt the back of her neck heat up with panic, sputtering quickly. "N-no, sir!"

"Oh? You're back to addressing me formally, now? Why the sudden respect?" His steely gaze never left her olive green orbs, a dark tone laced in his voice despite his flat expression.

 _Oh, shit._

If Ella wasn't dead before, she was definitely sitting in her grave now. She had previously been holding on to the faint sliver of hope that the stoic Captain hadn't heard her bad-mouthing him earlier, but now the fear that she had been sorely mistaken slowly settled into the pit of her gut.

"What was it you were calling me earlier, Ella?" Levi mused, his brow knitting together into a menacing glower.

 _No..._

She felt her stomach twist, a slight tinge of pink heating her cheeks as her heart thrummed against her chest. Shutting her eyes, she flinched, waiting for some kind of impact that never came.

Instead, he grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face up to look at him.

She blinked, gawking at his intense expression. "C-Captain?"

"A sadistic, slave-driving asshole?" He deadpanned.

A wave of heat instantly washed over her face, turning her cheeks a bright, cherry red. Any choice of words far beyond her at this point, her mouth gaped open and closed.

Oh yes, she was dead.

She would die a slow, painful death, flayed alive by Levi's blades.

Certainly.

His expression, however, remained flat.

"Ella." He brought his face in close, until his thin lips ghosted over the shell of her ear. "You're blushing again."

And then he was gone, their proximity vanished.

Ella blanched at him. "Y-y-you...!"

Before she could finish stammering out her enraged exclamation, Levi's arms were around her, lifting her up off the ground as he stood, hauling her over his shoulder. Unfortunately for Ella, his hand had inadvertently found its way to her backside in an effort to stabilize her.

Ella didn't know how it was possible for her face to get any redder than it already was, but it did. "H-hey!" she cried, attempting to swivel around to look at him from her undignified position slung over his shoulder. "Let go!"

"No."

Her blush deepened at his simple, dull reply. "C-Captain!"

Levi looked up at her from the corner of his eye, quirking a thin, delicate brow.

"You have stables to clean, brat."

Ella wailed. "No! Put me down!" Her small fists pounded on his back as he strolled leisurely down the corridor with her in tow.

In all her flailing, she missed the ghost of a satisfied smirk twitch at the corner of his mouth.


	12. Rescue

_A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has followed this story and especially to those who left such kind reviews! I'm finally back from vacation, so hopefully I will be able to update more frequently again. Enjoy!_

 **Rescue**

A scarlet cloud of smoke shot up into the sky with a resounding bang, leaving a wispy trail in the direction of its source.

"Titan to the East flank, Captain!"

Thundering hooves pounded against the earth as their rider urged her steed forward.

Silver eyes fixed dead ahead, Levi's expression remained unchanged as he rode on at the head of his squad. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke, his voice as calm as if they were strolling through the streets within the walls.

"You take this one, Petra."

"Yes sir!" With a nod of determined affirmation, the young woman pulled a flare from the pouch at her saddle and loaded it into her gun. She raised her arm, covering one of her ears with her free hand in preparation to shoot it off when another loud bang resounded from the same direction as the last one.

This time, however, the smokey cloud that rose into the air immediately after was black.

"Captain... T-there's..." Petra froze, her hand wavering above her elbow. "There's a Variant, sir!"

If Levi had reacted at all, he didn't show it, his gaze still fixed forward.

"Tch. You heard the girl. Fire the flare."

Gunter reacted first. "Y-yes sir!"

After the shot was fired into the air, Levi peered back over his shoulder at the source of the first two flares. His eyes narrowed, brow creasing.

 _Don't get into trouble, brat._

* * *

A whimper left Ella's lips as she stared at the black smoke from a squad ahead of her, and she chanced a quick glance over her shoulder at the titan pursuing her and her squadmate. It was a 10-meter class, and was quickly gaining speed on them.

The short-haired blonde man galloping at her side grunted. "We might have to engage this one, Ella! It's fast!"

The petite woman nodded, mentally preparing herself to fight the Titan, when a loud rumble shook the earth.

"What the hell...?" Owen furrowed his brows, chocolate brown eyes scanning the area.

A moment later there was another rumble, and a massive Titan crashed through the small thicket of trees ahead of them, bounding around the corner on all fours like a rabid wolf. He slammed his hand down on the earth in front of them, forcing the scouts to break away from each other.

"What!? A Variant!?"

A trail of sweat trickled down Ella's temple as she worked to steer her horse out of the way of the Titan's wildly flailing limbs. She barely dodged its giant hand slamming down in front of her again before it stopped abruptly and brought its face in close, leering down at her with bulging eyes and an eerily wide, toothy grin.

Ella bit back a scream as she watched the Titan, all color draining from her face in a horror so petrifying her body went numb and rigid.

Giant mouth opening wide, he snapped at her, jaw slamming shut with a thundering force.

"Ella!"

Startled back into action, the auburn-haired woman was just able to veer her horse out of the way, and reached down for a purple emergency flare from her pack, but her shaking, panicked hands fumbled with the small metal cartridge, and it clattered to the ground, tumbling out of her reach.

"T-the flare!" she cried, and immediately went for another one before Owen stopped her.

"Leave it!" the blonde man called, dodging another snap of the Titan's razor sharp teeth.

"W-what!?"

Owen ignored her shriek. "We can take this one, Ella!"

"Are you crazy!?" While she was distracted, the giant swung at her with its massive hand, knocking her off her horse, who was also sent flying with the force of the impact, before the Titan bounded off back into the forest just as suddenly as it had appeared.

Back hitting the hard earth, she grunted as the air was knocked from her lungs, her body tumbling several meters away on the hard, rocky ground.

A groan left her lips and she winced at the pain in her ribs, looking up just in time to be met with the feet of the first Titan that had been chasing them right in front of her. It leered down at her with a wide grin, reaching out a hand to grab her up.

"You get your filthy hands away from her!"

Before she had time to scramble to her feet and pull out her blades, Owen was in the air above her, slicing off the giant's fingers and redirecting its attention to himself.

"Can't snatch her up without any fingers, can you?" he taunted, landing on the ground in front of the small woman as she stood up and readied her weapons.

"O-Owen, what are you thinking...?"

He smirked. "C'mon, Ella. We can tag-team this."

"A-are you sure? Maybe we should fire an emergen - "

"No way!" They dodged another swipe from the Titan's other hand, using their 3D Maneuvering Gear to propel themselves out of the way by latching onto the conveniently nearby trees.

Owen huffed in frustration, brown eyes narrowing at the massive creature. "We can take this guy out no problem by ourselves. We don't need help!"

Ella furrowed her brow. "But - "

He grunted, flinging himself out out of the path of another attack. "We don't have time to argue about it! I don't know where that Variant meandered off to, but I have a feeling it will be back. Right now, we need to take care of this one!"

The green-eyed woman swallowed, nodding hesitantly. "R-right. Okay...!"

With that, they propelled themselves forward, Owen swinging around the back so that they came at it from different angles.

The Titan merely blinked, following the moving figures in front of it with its massive, unblinking eyes. Ella froze at the terrifying sight, unable to dodge as he reached out and grabbed at her.

"Ella!" Owen swung around, just barely knocking her out of the way in time for the Titan's giant fingers to close around his body from the chest down. Ella hit the nearest tree with the force of Owen slamming into her in the air, and tumbled down to the ground.

Sharp pain filled her lungs, choking out any scream the young woman would have let out at the sight of the Titan's jaw opening up and displaying his rows of sharp, jagged teeth, only to chomp down on her friend and squad member. The man's blood spurted everywhere as he was sliced in half at the waist.

Ella flinched, gritting her teeth. Panic swelled through her veins now as the humanoid giant had finished swallowing the rest of Owen and was now leering down at her small, battered form.

Her breath hitched, not from the stabbing pain in her lungs, but from the eerily gleeful look on the Titan's face as he stepped closer and bent down to pick her up with his enormous hand, still bloodied from Owen's gruesome death.

But a spinning flash of silver and green whirred by, slicing off the Titan's entire arm in mere seconds. It was gone just as quick as it had come, but another moment later it was back, swinging around the giant's massive head to slice a perfect chunk of steaming flesh from the nape of its neck. He fell instantly, landing with a thud too soft for something his size just meters away from the small, auburn-haired woman. She gaped at the scene with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Levi appeared just a second later, landing gracefully on his feet atop the Titan's head of mussy brown hair, and then leapt down to the ground.

Ella watched, still frozen in place, as the man approached her with quick, precise steps and crouched in front of her.

"Ella," he started, silver orbs scanning her form intently. "Are you hurt?"

Snapping out of her petrified state, she looked up at him, eyes glassy. Tears came instantly as she met his steel gaze, spilling over her dark lashes and down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"Captain!" she cried, and latched onto him at once, not caring that he might kill her for it.

"Oi, Ella!"

Her arms wrapped around his waist, fingers clutching his cloak as she buried her face into his chest, small body shaking in tremors with her shuddering sobs. "I thought I was going to... O-Owen was...!" Her voice caught, unable to utter out the ugly truth.

Levi sighed, gaze softening just the slightest bit despite himself. "Tch. You'll get snot all over me, brat."

Despite his harsh words, he didn't pull her off of him, but put a hand on her head, ruffling her auburn hair. After a moment, she calmed, her harsh sobs dissipating into shuddering breaths. Levi took her shoulders then, gently peeling her away from him.

"Ella, what happened here? Where is your squad?"

She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, attempting to compose herself. "I-I don't know. We got separated... There was a variant and - "

She stopped abruptly, eyes widening.

"What?" Levi prompted, growing impatient.

"T-the variant!" Ella grabbed his wrist, clutching onto the thick fabric of his cloak with a sudden panicked urgency.

Before the short man had time to question her further, a loud rustling came from the forest behind him, followed only a second later by the giant Titan Variant crashing through the trees on all fours just as he had before, lips curled up into a hungry leer. His large tongue hung from his mouth, leaving a thick string of saliva trickling down his chin and flying out in splattering droplets with his unusually quick movements.

Spotting the two humans on the ground immediately, the Titan lunged, ready to chomp down on them with its strong jaw. If Levi had been alone, he could have easily dodged the attack, but he wasn't. Ella was with him, and while she had been a member of the Scout Regiment for some time now and this was not her first escapade beyond the Walls, her reflexes were not as quick as his, and if he had moved to save himself, there was no way she could have escaped the giant beast unscathed.

Springing to his feet, Levi roughly grabbed the smaller woman by the waist, crushing her to his chest as he tore her from the ground. Massive, razor sharp teeth managed to graze the back of his shoulder due to his delayed movements in springing the both of them out of the way with his 3D Maneuvering Gear.

Once he had carried them to safety, however temporary, at the top of a tree, the dark-haired man grimaced, clutching his injured shoulder with his opposite hand.

"C-Captain..." Ella gaped as deep red slowly seeped out into the green cloak around his wound. "Y-your shoulder..." her voice wavered. A trembling hand reached out to him.

Levi growled, swatting her hand away. "It's nothing."

He stood slowly, removing his hand from his shoulder as he retrieved a handkerchief from his jacket and wiped away the blood from his hands.

"B-but..." Ella remained still, green orbs wide with horror as she stared at the gash on his shoulder.

"Enough!"

He sent a sharp, warning glare down at her, readying his blades. "I said it's nothing. A pathetic scratch like this won't be enough to stop me from slaughtering this filthy bastard." he growled, scowling down at the drooling Titan not far below them on the ground.

"Wait here."

Before Ella had time to react, the surly man had leapt down, latching onto the Titan's back with the grappling hooks of his 3D Maneuvering Gear. With one swift motion, he swung around the creature, avoiding its snapping jaw and the clumsy swipe of its hand with ease.

Flipping one blade around in his fingers to a back-hand grip, Levi spun around, twirling gracefully inward to the Titan's weak spot on the nape of its neck and sliced away a clean chunk of flesh with fluid movements.

The Titan wavered, swaying for just a moment before he fell, and crashed to the ground in a tangled heap of his own over-sized limbs. Levi landed before it a moment later, flicking the steaming gore from his blades as he glowered at the giant, humanoid beast.

Legs buckling, he fell to his knees, his brows creased and features contorted into a grimace as he clutched his burning shoulder, the wound seeping blood into his clothes unforgivingly now, due to the exertion of being worked when it should have been rested.

"C-Captain!" Ella gasped, immediately jumping to her feet and shooting herself down to the ground where he and the dead, steaming Titan sat. Light footsteps pounded on the ground behind him as she rushed over to the silver-eyed man. "Captain!"

As Ella approached, she hurried around to face him, kneeling down in front of the man and gingerly putting her hands on his shoulders. With a sharp inhale, the man shrank away from her touch, rising to his feet.

"C-Captain...?"

He merely clicked his tongue, scowling at her. "Tch. As if something like this would slow me down."

Ella swallowed hard, looking down as her olive green orbs suddenly began to sting with the threat of tears. "B-but... It's my fault." she whispered. "Y-you're hurt because of me. A-and Owen is..."

Despite her effort to hold them back, the tears came, welling up in the corners of her eyes. Her voice shook. "I-if I had been able t - "

"Oi!" A sudden, firm hand on her head cut her short, halting her words. "Ella."

Levi's voice was somewhat softer now; the harsh, agitated tone from earlier vanishing. He ruffled her hair, long fingers tangling in her auburn locks. "Stop. I'm fine, but your friend is gone. What's done is done."

A tear escaped down her cheek, and she quickly moved to wipe it away with her palm. She gave a slow nod, furiously wiping away the tears that somehow kept coming, flowing from her green eyes freely and without permission.

A deep sigh escaped the ebony-haired man's lips. He pulled her into him by the hand at the back of her head, holding her to his chest as she cried, and allowing her a good several moments to let it out and compose herself.

Once her tears had subsided to soft sniffling, she stepped away from him, feeling sheepish. "S-sorry..." she mumbled, gazing pointedly at the wet splotches she had left on his cloak.

Levi clicked his tongue in response. "It's already ruined from my blood." he said flatly, looking her straight in the eyes as he deadpanned.

A dusting of pink rose to the young woman's cheeks. "R-right... Sir. Sorry..."

He shook his head, giving her hair one last ruffle before breaking the contact and abruptly turning away from her.

"Let's go. We should find your squad."

Ella blinked, staring at his form almost dumbfoundedly before a soft smile found its way to her lips and she hurriedly followed after him. "Right!"


	13. Aftercare

**Aftercare**

Firelight flickered on the walls of the large sitting room back at the Scouting Regiment's headquarters, illuminating the room in a dim, warm glow. It was late into the night after the Corps had returned from their expedition, and most soldiers had elected to retire to their beds as soon as they shuffled through the doors, feeling weary and disheartened at the heavy casualties they had suffered and their usual lack of progress against the Titans. The sitting room was empty now, save for the two forms planted on the plush rug by the fireplace.

A low hiss filled the air as Levi inhaled sharply through gritted teeth, scowling at the floor.

"Watch it, brat!" he snarled.

Ella flinched back, her hands pausing in their work at his shoulder. "S-sorry... Sir." she stammered, waiting for the man's tense, rigid muscles to relax a bit before she continued. Or, at least as relaxed as they could get, given the current circumstances.

He clicked his tongue in response. "Tch. There's no need for this anyway."

The woman frowned, green eyes narrowing indignantly. "Yes, there is."

Levi's brow twitched in annoyance. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

The auburn-haired girl's simple statement only irritated him further, and he moved to turn around to face her. "Oi - "

A sharp stinging in the gash at his shoulder halted him as Ella pressed an alcohol-soaked rag into the gaping wound.

He hissed again, drawing in a breath through his teeth with a snarl.

"See? You're hurt." Ella sighed, her voice a little gentler now as she gingerly dabbed at his seething flesh, encrusted with dried blood from earlier that afternoon, as well as some fresh. The red liquid seeped into the cloth, prompting her to rinse it out in the bowl of water she had prepared at her side on the rug.

Slate-colored eyes narrowing, the man clamped his jaw shut, allowing her to treat his injury, at least for the moment. Since he had brushed it off during the expedition, the woman had relentlessly insisted he visit the infirmary as soon as they arrived back at the castle, despite his stoic, if not stubborn, refusals. Seeing as everyone had damn near shambled down to the barracks to crash in their beds upon their return, her concerned fussing had become incessant, and the subtle grating on Levi's nerves had earned him a headache. He finally relented, agreeing to let her treat him, if only to placate her pestering, and she had all but dragged him to sit by the fireplace in the large solar, as it would be their best source of light and heat this late into the night.

Hands working delicately now to clean his wound, Ella quieted as she surveyed the rather deep gash on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Although it was a mere whisper, Levi didn't miss the undertones of regret laced into her voice. He clicked his tongue, glancing sidelong at her from over his shoulder with his steely, gunmetal irises.

"Tch. I already told you, brat. What's done is done. There's no use in apologizing."

Ella stopped suddenly, her small hands trembling as they hovered over the man's skin. "I-I know, I just..." she trailed off, hanging her head down so that a dark shadow hung over her eyes, her profile illuminated only by the dim glow of the crackling fireplace. "I just can't help but think... If I had been faster, or stronger, then maybe I could've... I could have - "

"No. You couldn't."

At her small gasp, the man averted his gaze back to the flickering flames, a somber expression overtaking his features.

They both fell into a tense silence for a moment, before he abruptly moved, craning his head around to peer at her over his shoulder.

"Do you regret your actions today?" His voice was calm. Even.

Breath catching in her throat, Ella stared at him with wide, olive-green orbs. "I-I..." Tears prickled at her eyes yet again that day, and she hung her head, unable to meet his scrutinizing gaze. "I just wish I weren't such a burden on everyone."

She clenched her hands into fists on her thighs, several tiny droplets of tears dripping from her lashes to land on the backs of her knuckles with a soft platter. "Owen is dead because of _me_. Because of my weakness... And because of me, Captain, y-your shoulder - "

Levi interrupted her with an irritated click of his tongue. "Is that what you think?"

"Wha...?" She looked up to meet his intense steel gaze, the tears still spilling over her lashes.

"It wasn't your fault." he stated simply, breaking the eye contact to look once more at the dancing flames beside them. "No matter what happened, there's no way to change it now. You're too late."

She swallowed hard, soaking in his seemingly harsh words. "R-right..."

"So," he began, returning his gaze back around to the auburn-haired woman, "what are you going to do?"

She blinked at him with glassy eyes, not following his question. "S-sir?"

"Are you going to give up, just because one mission went awry?"

The breath caught in her throat, and she sat there, frozen in place.

"Or will you work hard to become stronger so that it won't happen again?"

Ella stared dumbfoundedly at his form, suddenly feeling very foolish.

"Well?" He raised a dark, delicate brow at her.

"I..." A light dusting of pink rose to her cheeks as she met his eyes. "I'm going to become stronger!" she declared, an unusual sense of determination pooling up in her chest, igniting her green irises.

The corner of his mouth twitched, a satisfied smirk almost making its way to his thin lips. Almost.

"Good." he stated, turning to face forward again. "Now, will you hurry up and finish taking care of this damn injury already? I have some sleeping to pretend to get to before morning."

"Y-yes sir!" Blush deepening, Ella nodded, hastily returning her attention to the wide gash on his shoulder while a faint, contented smile settled on her features.

"Brat." Levi muttered, though there was no contempt to his voice as her fingers delicately worked at cleaning out and disinfecting his wound once more.

A comfortable silence settled over them, both soldiers content to dwell in their thoughts for the time being, until several minutes later, when Ella paused suddenly in her ministrations.

"Are you done?"

"E-er," She rubbed the back of her neck in a somewhat sheepish manner as the man glanced sidelong at her expectantly. "I-it's just that..."

"Spit it out." he growled, growing impatient.

Cheeks flushing a deep crimson, the petite woman looked down at the bloodstained and ripped white button-up hanging loosely off of his shoulder to allow her access to his wound. "I-I need to wrap it," she stuttered, blush deepening. "Y-your shirt is..."

She trailed off, but the man understood what it was that she needed.

"Tch. What a pain." He sighed, shifting to unbutton the rest of his shirt, not wincing at the pang from his shoulder the movement caused him.

Ella stiffened, averting her gaze shyly as the thin fabric slid off his arms, revealing the taut muscles of his back and shoulders.

"You don't have to hide, brat." Levi commented flatly, raising a thin brow as he eyed her hands, which had moved to cover her flushed face.

She gave him a hesitant nod, slowly removing her small, wavering hands to meet his impassive, steel gaze. "Right. S-sorry, Captain."

He sighed, fixing his gaze ahead again as she tentatively began to wrap his wound, winding the gauze around his shoulder with noticeably trembling fingers.

"Levi." he said suddenly, voice soft.

"W-what?"

"Call me Levi."

Ella paused, her hammering heart skipping a beat. After she regained the breath caught in her lungs, she replied timidly. "Y-yes, s- er, L-Levi..."

The two were silent for a moment while Ella resumed wrapping his injury, moving at a slow, careful pace so as not to aggravate him or the wound. Her fingers, trembling now more than ever, accidentally brushed against the smooth skin of his back, and she flinched, quickly drawing back her hand, heart pounding against her ribs so hard it echoed in her eardrums.

"Are you afraid of me, Ella?"

His voice was quiet - barely above a whisper - but clear. Ella blinked at him in surprise. "Afraid?"

He sent her a brief glance out of the corner of his eye, waiting expectantly for her to reply.

"I... No." she murmured finally after a moment of consideration.

He let out a quick rasp of air, the sound resembling something like a chuckle or a scoff. "You sound hesitant."

Her fingertips hovered over his shoulder, briefly flitting against his warm, pale skin. Shuddering at the accidental contact, she drew in a sharp breath. "I-I'm not - "

"Ella."

Levi's hand darted up to enclose around her own over his shoulder, holding it to him with a firm grasp. Air hitching in her lungs, the woman's olive-green eyes widened.

"C-Captain?"

His grip tightened for a brief moment.

A light sigh.

He clicked his tongue.

"It's nothing."

Like a ghost, his hand vanished in the blink of an eye, returning to disappear from her sight at his lap. Ella swallowed the lump in her throat, letting out the shaky breath she didn't know she had been holding. She withdrew her hands from his back, resisting the urge to reach out and hold his suddenly somber form.

"I-I'm finished," she whispered, her voice hoarse, "wrapping your wound."

"Ah... Right." he murmured curtly, not looking at her.

Clenching her fists, the small woman looked down. "I should go." She stood abruptly, trying to keep her shaky legs from buckling at the knees. "G-goodnight... Captain."

Levi said nothing, silver orbs transfixed on the dancing flames in the fireplace.

Once he could no longer hear her hastily retreating footsteps down the long corridor, he let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his ebony locks.

"Jeez..." His gunmetal eyes closed wearily for a brief moment.

 _What's with me?_


End file.
